Abstract: Test methods are provided for evaluating the performance of cookware. One example test evaluates the durability of the cookware's grate-contacting surface, and includes a heat-abrasion phase on a cooking device's grate, a food-baking phase using a cooking-surface staining food item and/or a common food-cooking substance, and/or a solution-soaking phase using a caustic solution. Another example test evaluates the release performance of the cookware's cooking surface, and includes a release phase using a food item that tends to stick to cooking surfaces, a food-baking phase using salt and grease, a tiger paw phase, and/or an automatic dishwasher phase. And another example test evaluates the searing performance of the cookware's cooking surface, and includes searing a piece of meat on the cooking surface and evaluating the color/darkness of the meat piece itself and/or a fond made from the cooked-on meat residue against standardized colors/darknesses.